Clips

• Western Support as Blank Check: How Framing Silences Electoral Violations Ep 557

  Arthur Martirosyan argues that Western powers used a pro-Russian versus pro-Western frame to shield Pashinyan from scrutiny over election violations and democratic backsliding.

• Threats as Campaign Strategy: Pashinyan's Message Is Crushing Opponents Ep 557

  Arthur Martirosyan critiques Pashinyan's campaign rhetoric as threats of imprisonment and violence. In any republic, such threats would disqualify a candidate; Western media ignored them.

• Pashinyan's 0.004% Problem: How One Vote Decides Parliament Ep 557

  Prosperous Armenia reported at 3.996 percent, just below the 4 percent threshold. With 17,000 invalid ballots, recounts are essential and could reshape parliament.

• Wiretaps as Campaign Material: The Double Standard in Armenia's Elections Ep 555

  Law enforcement in Armenia rapidly leaks opposition wiretaps during the election campaign while ignoring reports of government-side abuse and patronage, creating a stark double standard.

• Military Service as Electoral Punishment: Citizens Arriving from Russia Face Summons Ep 555

  Pashinyan's Deputy Chief of Staff admits the government is summoning diaspora Armenians arriving from Russia to 25-day military training camps to punish suspected opposition voters.

• Hate Speech Laws Weaponized Against Critics of Pashinyan Ep 555

  Armenia's hate speech laws, meant to protect minorities, are being weaponized to criminalize political criticism of Pashinyan, with courts treating his political conduct as a protected characteristic.

• Artsakh Refugees Targeted with Dehumanizing Rhetoric During Election Campaign Ep 555

  Over 150,000 Artsakh Armenians displaced in September 2023 face dehumanizing rhetoric from Civil Contract officials, including Pashinyan, during the 2026 election campaign.

• Arthur Osipyan Detained for Asking Pashinyan Questions: Three Charges, No Logic Ep 555

  Arthur Osipyan was arrested and charged with three counts, including obstructing a campaign, for politely asking Pashinyan questions on video that the prime minister agreed to answer.

• An Administrative Machine, Not an Election Campaign: One Party Controls Every Institution Ep 555

  Armenia operates as a de facto one-party system where a single political center controls law enforcement, judiciary, and all state apparatus, making fair electoral competition impossible.